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Aust victims of Thames disaster remembered

Julian Drape, AAP London Correspondent

A candle has been lit for each of the 51 people, including five Australians, who died when the pleasure boat Marchioness sank on the River Thames 25 years ago.

A memorial service was held on Wednesday at Southwark Cathedral near where the vessel sank on August 20, 1989.

The Marchioness was packed with 131 people when it collided with the dredger Bowbelle.

Reverend Stephen Stavrou led the 25th anniversary service, which was attended by relatives and survivors.

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"We pray for those who died, those who survived and their families and friends," he said, before giving thanks for the many improvements to river safety that came about as a consequence of the tragedy.

Margaret Lockwood Croft, who lost her son Shaun, 26, in the early morning accident, spearheaded the reform push with the Marchioness Action Group.

She says the 25th anniversary is particularly important given the parents of the victims are themselves now passing away due to old age.

"Not as many of the relatives are still with us," Mrs Lockwood Croft told AAP.

"And many of the survivors now are the ages we were when we lost our children."

The average age of passengers was 22. Many of them worked in the fashion industry.

Mrs Lockwood Croft said she was proud of the safety reforms the families had won over the past 25 years.

"We've saved other people going through the trauma we went through.

"People are being rescued on the River Thames now. They have an excellent rescue service."

Lifeboat stations were opened following a 2001 report into the Marchioness tragedy. Crews have, to date, saved 466 lives and rescued almost 3500 people.

CCTV cameras have been installed along the river and they're linked to the Metropolitan police.

Maritime drink and drug laws have been implemented and coroner procedures were overhauled after more than 20 victims' hands were cut off in 1989 for identification purposes.

But Mrs Lockwood Croft insists there is still more to be done.

She wants certain vessels banned from the tidal waters and emergency telephones installed along the Thames connected directly to rescue services.

The 75-year-old on Wednesday said Australian parents had attended the 20th anniversary service but hadn't come this year.

"Most of us are senior citizens and it's a long way," the campaigner said.

"But while they were always far (away) they always gave written support (for safety reforms).

"The Australians were always the first to get their letters back."

The five Australians who died when the Marchioness sank were: David Ayres, John Clarke, Dianne Lim, Shirleen Manning and Angela Plevey.

Their names, and those of the 46 other victims, were read out at Southwark Cathedral on Wednesday by survivor Odette Penwarden, and later a second time by Canon Linda Ali, as the 51 memorial candles were lit.